Moribund Fidel Castro nominated to Cuba’s Parliament

Being barely alive and hopelessly senile does not disqualify retired Cuban dictator Fidel Castro from being nominated to the country’s so-called parliament. In fact, when you think about it, it makes total sense.

Fidel Castro nominated for Cuban parliament seat

HAVANA — Retired Cuban leader Fidel Castro has been nominated for a seat in the country’s parliament, authorities said Sunday.

The afternoon TV news announced “the leader of the Cuban Revolution Fidel Castro Ruz heads the list of 25 candidates to the Cuban parliament from the municipality of Santiago de Cuba, approved by the delegates of this state body.”

Castro was also named as a delegate in 2008, when he officially retired as president. It’s unclear whether he has played an active role in legislative duties in the years since.

The current session of parliament held its last gathering last week and is due to reconvene with new membership in February following elections. It’s expected to rename to the presidency Castro’s younger brother Raul, who was also nominated as a representative of the municipality of Segundo Frente.

Fidel Castro, 86, stepped down as president temporarily in 2006 due to a near-fatal illness and left the presidency for good two years later. Raul has been in charge since then.

Today the elder Castro spends most of his time out of the public eye and has ceased penning his once-regular essays known as “Reflections.”